Sun-blind



SUN BLIND Filed Nov. 8, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet l Dona d Kilb "WE a -J Oct.25, 1938. A. L. JONES ET AL sun BLIND Filed NOV. 8, 1937 n 3 A. JONES ETAL 2,134,283

SUN BLIND Filed Nov. 8, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 25, 1938.

SUN BLIND Filed Nov. 8, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 J1 J0 J2 A. JQNES ET'AL.2,134,283

Patented Oct. 25, 1938 SUN-BLIND Arthur Linley Jones, Roundhay, Leeds,and Donald Kilbey Smith,

Chingford, England Application November 8, 1937, Serial No. 173,360

- In Great Britain November 13, 1936 l 6 Claims. This invention relatesto improvements in sun blinds and the like and more particularly to sunblinds for shop fronts.

In the normal construction of a shop blind it is b usual to lower andraise the blind by means of a Dole, which action requires someconsiderable efiort on the part of the operator, often making it adifiieult matter for a female shop assistant to raise or lower the blindapart from the fact that the operator has to go outside the shop intoWhat may be inclement weather.

One object of the present invention is to pro vide a blind structurewhich may be raised and lowered from within the shop without requiring1'5- heavy manual exertion on the part of the operator. v

Another object of the invention is to provide a blind structure whichmay be lowered and raised wholly or partially by gravity.

The above and other objectsof the invention will become apparent fromthe following description.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readilycarried into eifect, two constructions thereof are hereinafter morefully described with reference to the accompanying drawings which aregiven by way of example only and not of limitation.

' In these drawings: Figure l is a side sectional elevation of a shopfront incorporating one construction of blind mechanism, I

Figure 2 is a plan viewof theblind me hanism showing the blind extended,V

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the blind roller,

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line IV-ZV of Figure 2 shown on anenlarged scale, and

Figure 5 is a similar view taken on the line 40 V-V of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is an end view of a modified construction, and

Figure '7 is a front section view of one end thereof.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings, the blind I isattached at one end to a blind roller 2 and at the other end to a lath 3supported by a pair of'hinged arms 4, 4 and 5, 5. The arms 4, 5 aremutually pivoted and pivotally connected both to the lath 3 and to across-bar 6 journalled in brackets l, 8 mounted on the back of theblind-box. Adjacent each end the crossbar 6 carries fast therewithtoothed segments 9 and ill respectively.

Adjacent the bracket 1 is a second bracket ll.

A shaft l2 journalled in the brackets "I. and II carries a toothed wheell3 in mesh with the teeth of the segment 9 and also a further toothedwheel M. A similar auxiliary bracket i5 is mounted adjacent the bracket8 and a shaft [6 similar to the shaft I2 is 'journalled in thosebrackets. Toothed wheels ll, 18, similar to the toothed wheels l3, M aremounted on the shaft I6.

A transverse shaft I9 is journalled in the four brackets H, 'l', 8, l5,and fast thereon are a pair of similar toothed Wheels 20, 2| meshingrespectively with the toothed whee1s l4 and 18. Also, fast on the shaftl9 isa toothed wheel 22 meshing with a toothed wheel 23 on a shaft 24also iournalled in the brackets 8, IE, to form a chain of reducinggears. The toothedwheel 23 meshes with a toothed wheel 25 having ahollow boss 26 which extends loosely into the fiange'dend 2' of theblind 'roller 2i h A bevel toothed wheel 21 fast on one end of the shaftl9, meshes with a bevel toothed wheel 28 on a-shaft 29 which is adapted.to be rotated through the bevel gears 39),3l by means of a The other endof the blind roller 2 is a tight fit on aflange'd element 33 on theflange of which are teeth 34 engaging teeth 35'on a plate 35. Both theplate 36 and toothed 'wheel 25 are free to rotate on the spindle 31which is secured to the brackets l and 8. l The spindle3l has a threadedportion 38 on which are mounted a pair of nuts 39, 43. The nut 39 mayrotate independently of the boss 26 while the nut 40 is adapted torotate therewith, although it is free to move with respect theretoaxially along the spindle. The nut 39 has a projection 39' adapted toengagea corresponding projection 40" on the nut 40. To the nut 39 ismadefast one end of a coil spring llfthe other end'of which is securedto the element 33. To regulate the tension of the spring 4|, a nut 42 onthe threadedportion 43 of the spindle 31 is slackened oft'and the plate36 is displaced to remove its teeth 35 out of engagement with the teeth34 of the element 33, whereupon the lat ter is rotated to impart thedesired tension to the spring 4| when the nut 42 is retighte'ned tobring about re-engagement of the teeth 34, 35.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: The crank handle 32 isrotated to impart rotation to the shaft i 9 thereby rotating the toothedwheels 20,. 2| and with them the toothed Wheels I movable blind box 50.

tated and thereby the toothed wheels I3 and I! to displace the segments9 and I0. At the time the segments are brought to the position shown inFigures 4 and 5, the arms 4, 4 and 5, 5 are inclined downwardly and theweight of the lath 3 tends to cause them to extend due to gravity.During the rotation of the shaft I6 the toothed wheel I8 is rotated andthereby the toothed wheel 25 through the reducinggears ll, 22 and 23.Rotation of the toothed wheel 25, rotates the nut 40, due to itsengagement with boss 26, and by its engagementwith the threads 38 causesit to move towards the right as seen'in Figure 3. The projection 40'leaves the projection 39 whereupon the blind roller 2 is free.

to rotate. As the blind runs out, the rotation of the element 33increases the tension of the spring 4|, the efiect of which is tocause-rotation of the nut 39 and cause it also to move axially of thespindle towards the right as seen in Figure 3. When the projection 39're-engages the projection 40 further movement is arrested whilst thespring 4| is still under tension thus keeping the blind taut,

To retract the blind, the'crank handle is rotated in the oppositedirection when the arms 4, 4' and 5, 5 are elevated to an upwardlyinclined position, as shown in chain line in Figure '1, when they tendto collapse due to gravity. The rotation of the toothed wheel 25 in theopposite direction causes the nut 40 to move axially towards the leftand with it the nut 39 due to the engagement of the projections, 39',4B. tension of the spring 4| is thereby increased and this causesrotation of the, blind roller to wind on the blind, the increase intension being discounted by the movement of the roller.

Limit stops or hydraulic checks of known construction may be employed torestrict the opening of the arms 4, 4aand 5, 5'.

In a modified construction shown in Figures 6 and '7, the blind box ismounted'for bodily rotation, about pivots 5|, within a fixed casing 52,The blind lath 53 is connected by arm 54 to lattice or lazy-tong arms 55carried by depending brackets 56 mounted on the front of the The blindextends from the lath 53 over a roller 51 loosely mounted on the bosses58, 59 of bearing members 60, 6| extending through the end walls 50a,50b of the movable blind box 50.

On a stub shaft 62 are mounted gear wheels 63, 64 adapted for mutualrotation. The toothed wheel 64 meshes with 'a toothed ring t5 of aratchet or one-way device 66 on the member 6'1. This member 61 has anextension 68 of square section upon which is mounted a nut 69 having aperipheral thread engaging internal'teeth on the boss 58 of the members60. A spring 10 is made fast to the blind roller 51 and to the nut 69.

The lath 53 is maintained in close position by a spring-urged catchtaking over the edge of the front wall of the blind box 50. On theinside of that wall is mounted a spring-urged sliding member 12, whilsta similar member 13 is mounted on the bottom of the fixed casing. Theadjacent ends of the members '|3, 12 are chamfered or sloped suchthatwhen the element 13 is displaced to the left, as seen in Figure 6, it

. moves the member 12 upwardly to raise the catch the weight of the lathand the slight downward inclination of the lattice or lazy-tong arms. 55

is such that the lattice or lazy-tong arms extend.

The

As the blind I is reeled off the roller 51, the tension of the spring 10is increased thereby causing rotation of the nut 69 and with it theparts 68, 61, 65, 64. During this rotation, due to the engagement of thenut 69 with the teeth on the boss 58, the nut 69 moves towards the rightas seen in Figure 7. The arrangement is such that the nut 69 strikesagainst the member 10 and is arrested thereby just before the blind iscompletely unwound whereby tension is maintained on the spring whichkeeps the blind taut. The element 13 is moved by a spring-urged rod 14connected to bell crank lever 15 to which is connected a depending rod16 disposed within the shop which may be operated manually to rock thebell crank lever to displace the member 13 and element 12 to releasethe'catch H, in order to lower the blind.

The ram 11 of a hydraulic cylinder 18 is piv otally connected to theblind box 50 and when it is desired to retract the blind, fluid isintroduced into the hydraulic cylinder by a suitable control to causemovement of the ram which, in turn, rocks the blind box 50 about thepivots 5| to raise the lattice or lazy-tong arms 55 to a generallyupwardly inclined position whenthey tend to retract due to gravity.

As the blind box 50 swings about the pivots 5|, the toothed wheel 63meshes with a toothed rack 19 secured to the end wall of the fixedcasing.

' This engagement causes rotation of the toothed wheel 63 and with itrotation of the toothed wheel 64, in an anti-clockwise direction. Thistoothed wheel rotates the toothed ring 65 and by engagement of theratchet 66 rotates the member 61 in' a clockwise direction. This causesreverse travel of the nut 69 which increases the tension of the spring10. The increase in tension of the spring brings about rotationof theroller 51 to cause winding on of the blind I.

When the blind is fully rolled up and the lath has abutted the front ofthe blind box 50 with the catch 1| engaged, the fluid is allowed toescape from the hydraulic cylinder and the blind box allowed to returnto the normal position shown in Figure 6. During this reverse movementthe toothed wheels 63, 64 are rotated in clockwise direction andlikewise the toothed wheel 64 which, however, idles with respect to themembers 61 so that theblind is not payed out.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore describedby way of example and various modifications'or alterations may be madetherein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention'asdefined by the ap- 55 pended claims.

We claim:

1. A sun blind, including alath, supporting arms therefor, and meansadapted to rock said arms to a downwardly inclined position to causeextension thereof and to elevate said arms to an upwardly inclinedposition to cause retraction thereof due to gravity.

2. In a sun blind, a blind roller, extension arms and a lathsupportedthereby, means opera generallyupwardly inclined position to causeretraction of the arms also due to gravity.

3. In a sun blind, a lath, pivoted arms supporting said lath, means onsaid arms for displacing the same about a horizontal axis into agenerally downward direction to cause the same to extend by gravity orinto a generallyupwardly inclined position to cause retraction of thearms also due to gravity, and means operable to displace said means.

4. In a blind construction, a lath, hinged arms supporting said lath,toothed segments on the ends of said arms, mutually rotated toothedwheels meshing with said segments and means for rotating said wheels torock said segments to incline said arms into a generally downwarddirection to cause them to open by gravity or to incline them into agenerally upward direction to cause them to retract also by gravity.

5. In a blind structure, a lath, supporting arms therefor, a transversebar supporting'said arms,

5 toothed segments on said bar, toothed wheels meshing with said toothedsegments and means for rotating said toothed wheels to cause rotation ofthe segments about the axis of the bar to incline said arms into agenerally downward direction to cause them to open by gravity or toincline them into a generally upward direction to-cause them to retractalso by gravity.

6. A sun blind, including a lath, a pivoted blind box, hinged armsconnecting said lath and said blind box, catch means operable to releasesaid lath to extend said arms by gravity, and. means for rotating saidblind to elevate said lath and arms to cause retraction of the latter.

ARTHUR LINLEY JONES. DONALD KILBEY SMITH.

